Now They Must Shake Hangover

UCLA got no more than a few hours to celebrate its victory over California, going from the 40-point turnaround Thursday night in Berkeley to practicing late Friday morning at Stanford in preparation for today’s nationally televised game against the top-ranked Cardinal.

But going from 19 points behind in the first half at Cal to a 21-point victory may live on as a confidence boost. Coach Steve Lavin called it the most impressive Bruin comeback since rallying from 16 down to beat Iowa State in overtime in the 1997 NCAA tournament at San Antonio.

“I think a lot of people still thought we might come back in it and win,” Lavin said of Thursday’s 83-62 victory. “But to not just win. To get back in the game and win and blitzkrieg a team on their home court like that, I don’t think anybody could have anticipated that.”

TODAY

at Stanford, 1, Ch. 2

* Site--Maples Pavilion, Palo Alto.

* Radio--KXTA (1150).

* Records--Bruins 16-11, 7-8; Cardinal 25-1, 14-1.

* Update--Stanford has won 13 consecutive games by an average of 25.4 points. Winning the next three--versus UCLA, at Arizona, at Arizona State--by any margin will get the Cardinal the conference title and almost certainly the No. 1 seeding in the West Regional.